The Experienced Professional Route (EPR) is a fast track experiential programme to achieve chartered status with your CIH membership.
Drawing upon your existing experience to enable you to demonstrate you have the skills and knowledge required to lead people and manage change.
It recognises your professional capability, previous qualifications, and commitment to maintaining up-to-date knowledge of housing issues.
Why choose the EPR?
- No lengthy study period or course attendance: Complete an application with a reflective statement, followed up with an interview
- Apply when you’re ready: Applications are open all year round to suit your schedule
- One year’s free chartered membership: Included on successful completion of the route
- A fast-track route: Gain CIHCM designation by demonstrating your own experience
- Engage with other experienced professionals: The process will give you the opportunity to engage with others in the sector
- Remain current in a rapidly changing sector: Enhance your credibility as a housing professional with your membership status
- Progress in your membership grade: Demonstrate your commitment to continuing professional development, and professionalism as per the CIH exemplar career development framework.
Who is eligible?
Candidates must meet one of the four eligibility criteria below:
- You have worked in a housing organisation or the residential built environment for five years, two of which are at senior management level working either as housing manager, asset manager (regeneration, property development, compliance audit, surveying, construction) or resources manager (policy & strategy, HR, finance).
- You have worked in a housing organisation or the residential built environment for five years and you have a degree level qualification or a minimum CIH Level 4 qualification.
- You have worked in a housing organisation or the residential built environment for five years and you are a fully qualified member (chartered member/fellow) of another relevant professional body.
- You have more than five continuous years’ experience working as a senior manager or head of service in a housing organisation.
If you work in an academic setting, and hold a degree, you can access the EPR providing you can evidence practical understanding and experience of housing through some, or all, of the following:
- You have worked in housing practice previously or are currently a board member of a housing association or a similar organisation
- You have researched and published on an aspect of housing practice
- Through your teaching, you disseminate information on housing practice, and how skills, competencies and behaviours to work in the housing sector can be developed and enhanced.
Please note, Canadian, Hong Kong, and other international candidates must contact their local CIH office to apply. Contact information can be found here.
How does it work?
If you meet the eligibility criteria, the process consists of two stages:
Stage one
Application form with reflective statement, CV and qualification certificate copies (where appropriate).
Stage two
Panel interview with presentation task – see below for more details.
Fees
- Stage one: Non-refundable £200 upon application
- Stage two: £1,200 prior to interview.
Following successful completion of the first stage, we will contact you with the details of the next set of scheduled interviews for you to book onto. The fee is due prior to your chosen interview date.
The professional interview requires you to deliver a presentation in front of a panel of experienced housing professionals. The presentation is a key opportunity for the panel to assess your appreciation of contemporary housing issues, and how you:
- Function as a reflective practitioner.
- Take a reflective approach to your professional practice.
- Utilise theoretical perspectives in your professional practice.
You are required to demonstrate how you meet the chartered membership criteria, which are:
- Maximise the positive impact of your work with individuals and communities.
- Deliver services that are designed to maximise the positive impact on customers.
- Work with partners to improve effectiveness.
- Contribute to the profession, sharing experience and supporting innovation.
- Communicate effectively – taking care to select the right style and method for the audience.
- Apply the professional standards framework to the daily role, embracing a reflective practice to contribute to the professionalism of the organisation and the wider sector.
- Have an ethical approach to your work - using the CIH ethical framework when faced with dilemmas.
- Ensure that you have the right skills and knowledge for the job – scanning the horizon to predict future challenges and preparing effectively.
- Embrace non-discriminatory practice and challenge behaviour which works against equality and diversity principles of good practice, reflecting on steps taken and improvements needed for equality, diversity and inclusion.
- Support initiatives for delivering services which are socially responsible.
- Promote and engage with policies and processes which conserve resources and support sustainable development.
It should also demonstrate how your professional experience and practice shows:
- Your contribution to the housing profession.
- The strategic direction of your organisation and how it meets government housing policy.
- Your experience in managing resources (people and/or teams).
- A reflection on your professional experience and the importance of professionalism and professional standards.
- Your practice of continuing professional development, working to the code of conduct, code of ethics and the CIH professional standards.
- How you continue to influence policy and practice agendas locally, regionally and nationally.
Ready to take the Experience Professional Route?
Get in touch with our team today via phone, email, or our enquiry form — we can discuss your eligibility, the process, and how this route can support your professional progression.
Get in touch
